


New Day, Old Promise

by msraven



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: A little angst, Did I already mention fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Found Family, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, nobody dies even a little, sappy boys, soft, wedding fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26513686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msraven/pseuds/msraven
Summary: Nicky had never really given much thought to marriage. He began loving Joe when their people were still intent on slaughtering each other. Their love was forbidden by every law and religion they'd encountered through the centuries, though Nicky knew in his heart that nothing so pure could be rooted in anything but good. They did not need any institution to acknowledge their love and yet…
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 30
Kudos: 250





	New Day, Old Promise

**Author's Note:**

> _Italicized_ text generally indicates words spoken in a different language.
> 
> Thank you, as always, to kultiras for the quick read-through and the ongoing encouragement.

"Oh," Nile said, the smile evident in her voice, "It's sweet that you're wearing Joe's ring."

They had finally gotten Andy to agree for them to take an extended break after leaving Booker and gaining Copley as an ally. With Nile being new to them and Andy now mortal, they had agreed to remain together during the break—something the three of them hadn't done in centuries. Joe and Nicky had forgotten how Andy never really rested. This morning was Joe's turn to go with her on a run while Nicky and Nile were having a leisurely morning at the villa.

Nicky looked up from his book in confusion at Nile's comment. She motioned toward his right hand and Nicky lifted his hand with a smile. 

"It is actually my ring," Nicky corrected gently. "It has been difficult for me to adjust to the weight after nine hundred years without. It changes how I grip my sword. But it's too important to lose, so Joe often wears it for safekeeping."

"Safekeeping?"

"When we are working, yes. It is very precious to us. I believe Americans traditionally wear them on their left hands?"

Nile frowned and leaned closer to look at Nicky's hand. "Is… is it your wedding ring?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Sorry, I… wow. I mean… I don't know why I'm surprised you guys are married."

Nicky's smile widened. "To be fair, it was a bit of a surprise for us too." 

Nile laughed and looked at Nicky expectantly, wanting the full story. She was still enamored with all of their pasts, especially the more personal pieces and those that involved Booker. 

Nicky looked down at the ring on his finger and wondered if all his memories from the last two centuries would now be tinged with sadness. No, he resolved, Nicky would not allow the present to taint the past. It was a truly happy memory and he'd cherish it to the end of his unnaturally long life.

He set his book aside and settled more comfortably in his seat. "Well… it was really Booker's fault."

=====+++++===== 

Booker had left the television on when he'd left with Andy to run a quick errand. Joe and Nicky weren't paying much attention to it—Joe sketching on the couch and Nicky reading by the window—or so Nicky had thought.

Joe made a quiet sound of surprise, just loud enough that Nicky lifted his head from his book. He found Joe staring intently at the television and stood to see what had caught his attention. Nicky had already missed most of what the reporter had said, but the ticker at the bottom of the screen read, "Netherlands legalizes gay marriage." 

Nicky sucked in a breath. He'd never really given much thought to marriage. He began loving Joe when their people were still intent on slaughtering each other. Their love was forbidden by every law and religion they'd encountered through the centuries, though Nicky knew in his heart that nothing so pure could be rooted in anything but good. They did not need any institution to acknowledge their love and yet… 

The news story was now showing couple after couple, their love and happiness exuding from the small screen. Nicky must have made his own noise because suddenly he was ensconced in Joe's arms. 

" _My love. My heart._ " Joe murmured into his hair. Nicky melted into Joe's embrace as the old Arabic and Genoese words settled warmly around Nicky's heart. 

" _My everything_ ," Nicky responded. 

They stayed wrapped up in each other for a long moment as the news switched to a different story. After all their years together, they rarely needed words to convey their emotions and wishes to one another—rarer still for them not to be of the same mind. This moment was no exception.

Nicky pulled back a bit so he could look at Joe, whose eyes were dancing with joy, excitement, and anticipation. Nicky let his own grin spread across his face. They each held their breaths as they waited to see who would speak first. 

"Yes!" they said in unison and then broke out in laughter.

"You were supposed to ask a question, my love," Joe teased. 

"I thought you would ask," Nicky replied.

Joe brought his hand up to rest against Nicky's neck and stroked his thumb along Nicky's jaw. 

" _Nicolò, my love_ ," Joe began, once again reverting to the mix of first languages they had learned for one another, " _My heart and happiness has always been in your hands. You are my light, my joy, my everything. Will you_ —"

" _Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I will. Yes. Yes!_ " Nicky responded in as many languages as he could remember, too impatient to allow Joe to actually propose.

Joe let out another laugh, picked Nicky up, and spun him around in an exuberant hug. Joe gently set him back on the ground and they pressed their foreheads together, breathing in each other's happiness. 

Nicky wanted nothing more than to fit himself against Joe, kiss him deeply, and let the moment carry them away. Unfortunately, they both knew that their time alone together would be short. Andy and Booker would soon return to finish planning the job they were running in a few days. Time for themselves would have to wait. 

As if summoned by his thoughts, Nicky heard a car pull into the driveway of the safehouse. They each took a step back from each other. 

Joe smiled and winked. "After."

"After," Nicky agreed with a nod and a small smile of his own. 

Joe began to step toward the couch and Nicky grabbed his hand before he could get too far. He pulled Joe close and gave him a quick kiss, another promise that needed no words. 

" _My love_ ," Nicky whispered. 

" _My husband_ ," Joe said against his lips and Nicky felt warmth bloom in his chest. 

"Soon."

"I would wait another millennium and die another thousand deaths if it meant I could be your husband in name as well as in your heart."

"You incurable romantic," Nicky teased with another quick peck to Joe's lips. 

Despite Joe's words, Nicky knew they were both impatient to complete the vows that had seemed unnecessary until a few minutes ago. They would need to be careful and not get distracted during the job. 

Nicky released Joe's hand so that he could settle back on the couch. A few seconds later, the front door opened and Nicky turned to greet their friends. 

"Welcome back. Successful trip?" he asked. 

Booker shrugged and set the bags he was holding down on the floor. He then went over to ask Joe about the game they'd been watching earlier. From the exaggerated groan Booker let out, Nicky guessed that Joe had won some money. 

"We got shawarma," Andy said and placed the bags in her hands onto the small table by Nicky's book. 

"Oh! Did they have…?" Nicky started to ask. 

Andy smirked and held up a small plastic container with baklava sitting inside. She huffed. "Like I'd forget."

"No complaints if it tastes like cardboard," Joe warned as he moved around Nicky toward the food. He took the container Andy handed him and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek in thanks—a move that she pretended to dodge, but accepted with a fond smile.

Joe took the seat next to Andy and Nicky sat opposite him as Andy handed him his own container. "Thank you, Andy. For the food and the dessert."

"He pronounced it like balaclava," Booker warned as he took his place at the table. "Don't get your hopes up."

"Hopefully he didn't actually mean to compare the texture of his pastry to thick cloth," Nicky said glumly. 

They all watched as Andy took her first bite of food. She frowned, scrunched her nose in distaste, and then shrugged. "Not shawarma, but not awful."

"Better than the kebabs in Minsk," Joe agreed after taking a bite of his own. 

"They were raw and we were all sick for days," Nicky reminded him. "Nothing can be worse than those kebabs."

Booker snorted and countered with the time they tried rakfisk in Norway, which led to a healthy debate on the best and worst foods they'd eaten in modern times. The conversation through dinner stayed on similar, unimportant topics since Andy seemed willing to put off planning the job for one more night. Neither Joe or Nicky made any mention of the Netherlands.

Joe had seemed relaxed throughout the evening, so Nicky was surprised to feel the tension running through him as they settled down to sleep. 

"Something is bothering you," Nicky said without preamble. 

"Our plan to marry…" Joe began and then didn't continue. 

Nicky turned in Joe's arms to face him. They were lucky to have the small room to themselves. The bed was barely big enough to hold them and the only light was from the moon outside the window, but Nicky appreciated having some level privacy. He kept his voice soft, in deference to the thin walls and their friends still drinking together in the main room. 

"Having second thoughts already?" he asked in an attempt to lighten Joe's mood. 

"Never," Joe answered immediately. 

"So what is troubling you?"

"Would you want… Do you think… I..."

"My love," Nicky soothed, concerned because it was rare for Joe to lose his words. He stroked a hand over Joe's curls and then placed it against his cheek. "Whatever it is, we will manage together."

Joe took a steadying breath. "Do you suppose Andy and Booker would like to be there?"

Nicky was surprised at the question. 

They were not so enamored with each other that they failed to see how their love could cause their friends pain. Joe and Nicky had never been overt with their affection in front of others—habits ingrained after years of persecution—but began purposely limiting it around Andy after they lost Quynh. Booker's palpable, ongoing grief over his family had made it more important not to flaunt their own luck in having each other. They never denied their love for one another, only tempered how outwardly visible it was to the others. 

At least that was what Joe and Nicky hoped. It was nearly impossible for them to sleep without the other and they had a tendency to share weighted glances to convey what they couldn't by touch or words. There was also no way to truly control how either of them reacted if the other was hurt. They did the best they could most other times and considered it a small sacrifice for the wellness of their family. 

However, if there were a time to be effusive in their love, it should be at their wedding and Nicky was finding it difficult to make that concession.

Joe misinterpreted Nicky's continued silence. "You don't want them there."

"No! I would love our family there." Nicky corrected and then sighed. "I am being selfish. I had hoped… When I marry you, I want to be open and abundant in showing my love for you."

"Oh. I… I want the same, Nicky. I don't think it's selfish to think of ourselves when we marry."

"It is also reasonable to want our family at the wedding."

It was Joe's turn to sigh. "I don't believe we cannot have both. Weddings are about love. You saw the couples on the television!!"

"Hush, my heart. These walls are thin and we are not ready to have this talk with Andy and Booker." Nicky stroked his thumb soothingly against Joe's cheek. "I did not mean to upset you."

Joe shook his head and leaned in to give Nicky a brief, but passionate kiss. "I did not realize until tonight how much I wanted to shout my love for you for everyone to hear," Joe said quietly against Nicky's lips. "I want to stand on the tallest rooftop and exclaim to the heavens how you inspire in me feelings deeper than any ocean. How my passion for you has not waned after a millennium, but still burns hotter than the sun. I want to walk the streets of every city with you on my arm so that all others can look on me with envy that you have agreed to call me husband."

"Yusuf…" Nicky's throat tightened with emotion, unable to answer Joe's poetic words with anything but a searing kiss. He was glad that his love knew him well enough to understand that he returned all and more of the passion behind Joe's words. 

They lay quietly for several minutes, content in their common desires, but always aware that they were not alone. 

"We will not temper ourselves when we wed," Nicky finally said with conviction. "We will extend an invitation to Andy and Booker, but make it clear it will be a celebration of what we share. We will not hide."

"And if they cannot accept this…"

"It will not come to that."

"But if it does," Joe said sagely, "know that I will be content as long as you are still willing."

"Always, my love. Always."

~*~

Several days later, the four of them were seated around a table in a different safehouse after a job well done. They had rescued the hostages with no deaths or major injuries on their side, the captors left to the proper authorities after an anonymous phone call.

"We did good," Andy said as she raised her wine glass in a small toast. "Hostages were too busy running to pay much attention to us, so they probably think we were with the locals."

"Barely made the news," Booker added. 

"Is that good or bad?" Joe challenged. They'd all been appalled at the condition of the hostages, but Joe always tended to feel injustice deeper than the rest of them. 

"Good for us," Andy replied.

"The hostages are free and in caring hands," Nicky reminded him. "They don't need hounding by reporters."

Joe conceded to Nicky's point with a nod and returned to finishing his dinner. Nicky looked back over at Andy as she leaned back in her chair. 

"Smooth job means we could do another soon," she said. 

Booker nodded. "I've had some contacts—"

"Actually," Nicky interrupted. "We have need for a break."

Joe and Nicky had purposely chosen seats next to each other and now leaned closer, their sides pressed together as Nicky reached out to clasp Joe's hand on the table. Andy and Booker both looked at them in surprise. It was rare for Nicky and Joe to make this type of request.

"You have somewhere else you need to be?" Andy asked. They all had places they kept up through the years that sometimes needed tending to. 

"The Netherlands," Joe answered happily. Nicky couldn't stop himself from turning to Joe as they shared wide smiles. 

"What the hell is in the Netherlands?" 

"Nicky has agreed to marry me," Joe said. After all these years, there was awe in his voice, as if Nicky wasn't already bound to him in all other ways that mattered. 

Nicky didn't school his reaction and let his eyes soften as he gazed lovingly back at Joe. 

"You're serious."

Nicky turned his head at Andy's words. She was looking at them with a confused frown while Booker stared down at the glass of whiskey in his hand. 

"We saw a news story the other day," Nicky explained. "It's now legal for men to marry other men in the Netherlands. And women too, of course."

Andy got a far away look in her eyes for a moment and then she surged forward to place both of her hands over Joe and Nicky's joined ones. She squeezed tight as a large smile broke out across her face. 

"This is wonderful! It's what Quynh always wanted for you."

Nicky sucked in a shocked breath. He couldn't remember the last time Andy had spoken Quynh's name. Next to him, Joe let out a sound that sounded like a strangled sob, but when Nicky looked, his smile was as still as wide as Andy's despite the single tear that ran down his cheek into his beard. 

"She did promise," Joe said and Andy laughed. 

An old memory surfaced of Nicolò walking up to their camp to find Quynh ranting energetically in front of Yusuf and Andromache. Nicolò and Yusuf had needed to split up as they walked through a very conservative town to avoid suspicion, which is why Nicolò had arrived later than the others. He could only make out a few words of Quynh's argument, something about being able to walk down a street in peace. Andromache had looked amused, but Yusuf had had stars in his eyes as he watched Quynh. 

Then Quynh had seen Nicolò, strode over, and pressed his face between her hands. "One day," she said with absolute conviction. "I promise you. One day."

Quynh had then walked away to flop down next to Andromache as Yusuf came over to greet him. 

"What…?" Nicolò started to ask.

"Quynh was defending our right to love," Yusuf answered and, for the first time in their travels together, he kissed Nicolò out in the open for their friends to witness. 

Nicky couldn't believe he'd nearly forgotten that night. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. 

"The four of us will need to have a toast in her honor at the wedding."

"You want me, uh, us there?" Booker asked, surprised.

"Weddings are meant to be witnessed by family," Joe answered and reached out to grip Booner's forearm. 

"I think that's to keep the couple from running away," Booker joked to cover his surprise. "I can carry your shotgun."

"Like Nicky's gonna run," Andy scoffed.

"He said yes before I finished asking!"

"We both said yes before you asked," Nicky reminded Joe. "Neither of us needs the threat of a shotgun."

"Good thing. It wouldn't work on us anyway."

They all shared a small laugh and Nicky was glad they had been brave enough to share this with Andy and Booker. 

"How soon did you want to do this?" Andy asked. 

Joe and Nicky shared a look. It seemed silly to be so impatient for a thing they hadn't wished for until a few days ago. Yet they were both equally eager to be married. 

"Soon."

"As soon as possible."

"One or both of you will probably need Dutch citizenship to marry there," Booker pointed out. "Shouldn't be too difficult to get the right papers."

"Getting in there shouldn't be too hard either, from here. Where exactly do you want to get married?" Andy asked.

"Not Amsterdam," Joe answered. "Somewhere near the coast, I think." 

Nicky nodded in agreement. "But not too far north."

None of them had spent much time in the Netherlands, so they pulled up maps on Booker's laptop and finally decided on The Hague. Joe and Nicky had looked at pictures of the city and felt an immediate, unexplained kinship to the place.  
It was exactly what they'd imagined and would be busy enough, even early in the tourist season, that the four of them would not stand out. 

With the location chosen, it took them almost a full other week to arrive there. Andy insisted on a detour to Florence for them to get proper suits and to see an old jeweler that she trusted. They chose platinum rings for its durability at the jeweler's suggestion, a larger ring for Joe's long fingers and a smaller, engraved band for Nicky. This was when they learned Joe could wear Nicky's ring on his other hand because Nicky had chosen his ring quickly and handed it to Joe as they continued to look at the rest of the jeweler's selection. Booker and Andy had teased Joe about hoarding the rings, but Nicky had grasped both of Joe's hands and kissed each ring lovingly. 

When they arrived at The Hague, they found that Andy had booked them rooms at the [Kurhaus](https://www.amrathkurhaus.com/en/index.html), a luxury hotel right on the water. She had shrugged at their raised eyebrows, clearly unwilling to admit she had splurged on their behalf. 

Booker, for his part, had his own surprise for them the next morning. He'd managed to rush the usual paperwork—likely with ample amounts of bribery—so that Joe and Nicky could be married in two days instead of two weeks or longer. When Booker handed them the papers, they were surprised to learn that they would marry under the names Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicoló di Genova. 

"It seemed proper," Booker explained and Joe hugged him tightly until the other man began to squirm uncomfortably. 

Despite his discomfort at the attention, Booker still allowed Nicky to give him his own, shorter hug and Andy had clasped his shoulder proudly before she announced the need for champagne. Their family was having a wedding.

~*~

Nicky and Joe spent the next two days wrapped up in each other.

On the first day, they made love in the early morning and lazed in bed after, gazing out at the water beyond their open balcony. They walked hand-in-hand along the beach despite the still cool weather and explored the city before meeting Andy and Booker for dinner. Touch was near-constant between them and if the other two noticed the sudden emergence of their affections, they made no comment to Nicky or Joe. 

The next day, Joe and Nicky were searching for a place to have lunch when they stumbled upon a large wedding as they spilled out of a church onto the street. They watched for a moment as the bride and groom laughed and kissed in front of their assembled friends and family. 

"Would you want something like that?" Joe asked with a squeeze to Nicky's hand. They had learned that most couples here chose to hold larger religious ceremonies after their required visit to the registry office. 

"No," Nicky answered honestly. He and Joe were not without faith, but they had stopped prescribing to any particular religion a long time ago. "Tomorrow, we will become husbands with our small family there as witness. That is all I need. You are all I need."

"And you call me an incurable romantic."

Nicky kissed Joe's cheek. "I am not wrong. Just using my prerogative to join you."

Joe turned his head to place a smiling kiss against Nicky's lips. When they parted, they found Andy standing in front of them. She rolled her eyes at them, but the smile on her lips was fond. They grinned and quickly reached out to pull her into a three-way hug that startled her into a laugh. 

"I haven't seen you this happy in a long time," she said. "It's nice to see you happy."

Joe and Nicky did not pretend to misunderstand that Andy meant more than their impending wedding. 

"Do not worry," Nicky told her, "we have been happy."

"And always will be," Joe added. 

Andy nodded and pulled them close for a second before making a face. She stepped away and motioned down the street. 

"Come on. I'm starving and Booker found a real shawarma shop."

They followed Andy to where Booker was waiting and the four of them spent an enjoyable afternoon wandering the city center. They found a small gelato shop run by a little old lady who pinched both Joe and Nicky's cheeks when they spoke to her in Italian. From there, they stumbled onto a confectionary that served sweets so good that even Booker couldn't complain. By the time they returned to the hotel, none of them were hungry for dinner. 

With an arm around Nicky's shoulders, Joe steered them toward the elevators while Booker and Andy headed in the direction of the hotel bar. They had an early appointment the next morning and Nicky was a little concerned about leaving Andy and Booker unsupervised with large amounts of alcohol within easy reach. 

"They will be fine," Joe soothed. "They love us too much not to be there."

"You're right," Nicky agreed.

He let himself relax against Joe as the elevator deposited them onto their floor, and then realized as they entered their room that it was still a bit early for sleep. 

"Would you like some wine?" Nicky asked as Joe locked the door behind them. 

Joe's hands settled warmly on Nicky's hips. "No, thank you. My thirst is only for you."

Nicky smirked as he turned in Joe's hands and pressed their bodies together. 

"You incurable romantic."

Nicky kissed Joe's answering smile as he steered them toward the bed. They made slow, reverent love for what felt like hours. They covered every inch of each other's skin with kisses and licks. They re-learned all the ways that brought them to the height of pleasure and only then did they crest the peak together. 

Joe eventually stood, still gloriously naked, and threw open their balcony doors to let in the sea air. Nicky was struck again by his love and passion for the beautiful man before him. 

"I love you," Nicky said as Joe turned toward him. 

"And I love you." Joe bent to give Nicky a tender kiss before he moved around the bed to his usual place at Nicky's back. "Tomorrow, we will be husbands."

They watched the moonlight as they breathed together and let sleep lead them into morning.

~*~

Nicky woke just as the sun was breaking into dawn and was content to remain in Joe's arms for a bit longer. They still had plenty of time before needing to get ready.

Sooner than he expected, he felt Joe take a deep breath and nuzzle into the back of his neck. Nicky smiled and stroked Joe's arm, knowing it would take Joe a few minutes more to fully wake. 

"Good morning, my love," Nicky said when Joe kissed his neck. "We still have plenty of time if you want more sleep."

Joe shook his head and pulled Nicky tighter into his arms. "I'm eager to start this day. Besides, I'd wager Andy is unlikely to wait and meet us in the lobby."

Nicky hummed in agreement and started to get out of bed only to be stopped by Joe's arms. 

"Is our love already fading?" Joe asked with a dramatic sigh. "You would leave our marriage bed without even a kiss to greet me into the morning?"

Nicky reached back and poked Joe in the side, which elicited a yelp and the immediate loosening of Joe's arms. Nicky moved quickly, straddling Joe's hips and pinning his hands above his head. It was then that Nicky saw Joe's Cheshire Cat grin because he'd managed to get Nicky to do exactly as he'd hoped. 

"You're insufferable," Nicky griped good naturedly. 

"You mean incurable," Joe countered with a roguish grin. 

Nicky let his body press heavily onto Joe and then kissed him deeply until they were both left panting for air. Then Nicky swiftly rolled off Joe and the bed completely. Joe groaned in protest.

"Nicolò!" 

Nicky took a step backward, as if distance could help him resist Joe's pleading. "Sorry, my heart, but you know we don't have time this morning. Remember that we will have a whole month to ourselves at the beach after this."

They had decided to honeymoon in Sint Maarten, having used the excuse of their newly acquired Dutch passports to travel to a warmer climate. Nicky loved how Joe's skin glowed in the sun and Joe loved how he could encourage Nicky into wearing as little clothing as possible.

"Don't think I won't ravage you after the wedding."

A corner of Nicky's mouth lifted. "I would expect nothing less."

Joe reached his hand out to Nicky and he started to step forward before he remembered his resolve. Joe grinned again with a challenging lift of his eyebrows and Nicky escaped into the bathroom so he wouldn't be tempted further.

As it turned out, Joe was still in the shower and Nicky half-dressed in his suit pants and undershirt when the predicted knock came at their door. 

"Oh good, you're not still naked," Andy said when Nicky opened the door. Booker let out a large yawn as he stood behind Andy's shoulder in the hallway.

"Good morning, Andy, Booker," Nicky greeted. "I thought we were meeting in the lobby?"

Andy shrugged and pushed past Nicky into the room. "We brought croissants. Booker said they were acceptable."

"I said they looked acceptable," Booker corrected as Nicky stepped back to also allow him into the room. 

Nicky had already straightened the bed and ensured the rest of the room looked presentable. He'd also had room service bring up two large carafes of coffee that were sitting out on the balcony. He smiled at Andy's raised eyebrow and shut the door to the hallway just as Joe emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel around his hips.

Andy wolf whistled. "Looking good, Joe. Sure you don't want to run away with me instead?"

Joe preened for a moment, but his eyes softened when Nicky deftly stepped between Joe and prying eyes. Nicky held up the garment bag with Joe's suit and Joe winked over his shoulder at Andy.

"Sorry Andy," Joe said as his eyes met Nicky's again. "I am unquestionably and unwaveringly otherwise engaged."

"Your loss, Andy," Booker said good-naturedly as he stepped out onto the balcony for coffee. 

Andy scoffed, but they could all hear the fond amusement underneath it.

"My gain," Nicky said softly as he gave Joe a quick kiss. "Now get dressed before you cause more of a distraction."

Joe waggled his eyebrows and slipped back into the bathroom with the garment bag. 

The four of them had a leisurely breakfast—the croissants proved to be quite good despite Booker's grumbling—before Nicky and Joe finished getting dressed. The hotel provided a car to take them to [The Old Town Hall](https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/trouwen-en-geregistreerd-partnerschap/huwelijk/trouwlocatie-groenmarkt.htm) and soon they were standing in front of the registrar. 

The ceremony itself wasn't overly long, though completely spoken in Dutch. They'd thankfully done the legwork to ensure they were able to follow along with the registrar and respond appropriately when called for. It was the end which was most important, because the registrar had agreed for Nicky and Joe to add their own vows. 

Nicky took a deep breath and began to speak in the old mix of Genoese-Arabic that he shared solely with Joe. He could already feel a tear slide down his cheek and feared he could not finish the speech he'd prepared with a solid voice. 

" _Yusuf, my love, my heart, my everything. The path we have chosen to walk together has been paved with much hardship and pain, yet it has also led us to more joy than I ever hoped to be worthy of. I am forever blessed to walk this path beside you. Without you, I would be lost. Your strength, your passion, your generosity, and your kindness are beyond measure. We are more than two halves to a whole. We are equal scales that tip and balance each other through both the good and the bad. On this day, as I did the day you first offered me your hand in peace, I pledge to you my loyalty, my protection, and my unending love._ "

Joe answered in their same language of love, his voice choked with emotion and eyes filled with unshed tears.

" _Nicolò, my love, my heart, my everything. When density bound us together, my life began and I will spend eternity earning the bounty I have been given. There is nothing without you. There is no light without your eyes, no joy without your smile, no warmth without your arms, or hope without your love. Your beauty shines brighter than the stars, but it is your soul that guides me on the darkest days and your kindness that leads me onto the path of good. Together, I am certain we will meet our destiny with light, laughter, and love. For on this day and through all the days that remain before us, I pledge to you my loyalty, my protection, and my unending love._ "

When their lips met for their first kiss as husbands, Nicky felt as though all the years of their past and future were wrapped securely around them.

=====+++++=====

By the time Nicky finished a condensed version of his wedding to Joe, Nile's smile had turned a bit sappy and wistful.

"I am biased," Nicky admitted, "but I thought it was a beautiful, happy day. We have pictures hidden away that we'll need to show you."

"Pictures?" Joe asked as he stepped out onto the veranda. 

On a whim, Nicky reached out, caught Joe's hand, and pulled him down to sit next to him on the small bench. Joe was freshly showered and Nicky breathed in his familiar scent as he leaned into his husband's side. 

"I was telling Nile about our wedding."

"Ah, yes, those pictures," Joe grinned as he draped his arm along the back of the bench and Nicky's shoulders. "Booker found a photographer that worked only in film and then threatened him until he surrendered all of the negatives."

"You talk about him like…" Nile said tentatively. "Do you miss Booker?"

"Of course," Nicky answered while Joe let out a heavy sigh and stayed silent. 

"Then why…?"

"He did a horrible thing, Nile. Regardless of his reasoning, he hurt and betrayed us. That cannot be without consequence."

"Are you still angry with him?"

"Yes," Nicky admitted, "but that isn't abnormal in families. We anger and we forgive." 

"A hundred years is a long time to be alone," Nile countered.

"Not for us, really. But it will not be that long." 

"What?! You guys told him a hundred years." 

"Nile," Nicky said gently and reached out to take her hand in his. He was starting to get an idea of why she was so focused on Booker. "You understand that we said we would not meet him for a hundred years? We never said he could not find us."

Nile stared, dumbfounded, at Nicky and then turned to Joe, who nodded to back up Nicky's claim. 

"We don't always stay together," Nicky clarified. "Sometimes it's for safety and sometimes, we just need time to ourselves. We set a time and place to meet again, but we never make it difficult to be found in between if we're needed." 

"We are somewhat creatures of habit, after all," Joe said and motioned at the villa around them. They had already explained to Nile how often they returned to the area, even if it required some work to maintain their anonymity throughout the years.

"You're saying Booker could show up tomorrow and you'd be okay with it?" Nile asked.

"Maybe not tomorrow," Joe responded quickly. 

"We did say we are still angry," Nicky added. "It's not pleasant for Joe and I to see each other die. And he did shoot Andy." 

"Then when?"

"When he's ready to admit to himself that we can't be pawns to his whims or his grief. He does not have the right to harm us, or now you, for his gain." 

"When will that be?" 

"When he comes back to us. Hopefully before it's too late for Andy." 

"Booker is a grown man, Nile," Joe reminded her. "He knows what he did. He may have been acting like a selfish asshole, but that doesn't mean we believe he cares nothing for us." 

"So he's staying away for what? His own penance? What if you're wrong? What if he stays away for a hundred years and is more bitter for it?" Nile's questions came out in a rush and Nicky gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"We don't believe that will happen." 

"How do you know?"

"We don't," Nicky admitted as he released Nile's hand and returned to Joe's side. "But we need to have hope. We have known him for a long time. Booker is a good man. Conflicted, yes, but a good man deep down. He needs to find that goodness again and our coddling him has not helped." 

"Booker's stubborn," Joe told her. "I give him a decade or two of drinking himself to death before he gives in and realizes he's already forgiven." 

"How will he know?" Nile challenged.

"Because as much as I still want to shoot Booker a few times, he is still our brother."

This time, Nicky reached out and took Joe's hand in support. Booker's betrayal had been especially hard on Joe, who was freer than all of them with his emotions. He loved Booker and most of his ongoing anger had been borne out of disappointment. Nicky's anger was steeped mostly in fear—for himself, for Andy, but especially for Joe. 

"You were right not to leave him behind," Nicky said as he turned back to Nile. "No matter how angry we were at the time, we never would have either. Remember what I said to you that first night? We are meant to find each other. We are connected. It does not matter that Andy is mortal or Booker betrayed us or that you're new. We are family. There is no mistake you or Booker could make that would change that now."

Nile's shoulders finally relaxed and Nicky ached to think how long she had been carrying this fear within her. Nile's inclusion into their family had not been ideal. They could only try to ensure she felt as secure with them as they immediately had felt with her. 

Nile smiled, trying to return them to happier thoughts. "Your wedding sounded lovely." 

"Our only regret is that you were not there," Nicky said seriously. 

Nile laughed. "I don't think my parents would have let me go. I was nine."

"You would have made a lovely flower girl," Joe added with a wink.

"It's legal here, now," Andy commented casually as she walked out to join them. "We could stage another wedding if Nile wanted to give it a go with the flowers."

Nile made a face at Andy while Nicky and Joe turned to each other. Joe's eyes softened as he gave Nicky a small smile. They'd had multiple opportunities over the years, as other countries followed the Netherlands' example, to renew their vows, but had never felt compelled to do so. They agreed that their wedding, however unexpected, had been a beautiful event that neither of them needed to replace. That belief had not changed.

"No, thank you, Andy," Nicky finally said. "As much as we'd love to see Nile in a fluffy dress and flowers, one wedding is all we need."

"Our honeymoon, on the other hand," Joe added. "I could bear to repeat again and again."

Nile and Andy groaned, while Nicky blushed at Joe's innuendo.

"I do not need to hear about your sex life," Nile exclaimed.

"I meant only that the island was beautiful!" Joe protested and placed a hand over his heart dramatically, but his feigned innocence was ruined when he gave Nicky a wink. 

Nicky rolled his eyes at Joe's antics and then shrugged. "Sint Maarten is very beautiful and the people there were wonderful. We have always meant to go back."

Nile turned wide, questioning eyes at Andy, who sighed as if the idea of vacationing on a Caribbean island pained her. Nicky could see, however, that there was a smile threatening to bloom on Andy's lips. It meant that she'd allow Nile to convince her. 

When Nicky turned toward Joe, he found a barely suppressed grin on his husband's own lips while his eyes danced with mirth. Joe was going to get exactly the relaxation he wanted without having to outright ask Andy for it. Nicky had to hide his own smile against Joe's shoulder and Joe took the opportunity to brush a kiss against Nicky's forehead. 

"Time to make new memories with our family," Joe whispered, as if he'd pulled the thought right from within Nicky's mind. Nicky nodded his agreement and settled into Joe's embrace to watch Andy pretend to argue with Nile. 

There was no need to replace old memories, but new ones would help them heal. When their lost brother returned to them, they'd be ready to welcome him back and build on their happiness together again as a family.

===== _fin_ =====

**Author's Note:**

> I have not been to The Hague or anywhere in the Netherlands, so this was written with the minimum Google research. I have been to Sint Maarten/Saint Martin multiple times and highly recommend it as a vacation destination. It's not Malta (which is on my list of future travels), but I firmly believe Joe and Nicky would still love it there.
> 
> I also have a couple of small Joe/Nicky ficlets on my tumblr [here](https://tmblr.co/Ziin0uYsAie9mi00) and [here](https://tmblr.co/Ziin0uYy2iWXOq00). ♥


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